Weekend
Getaways from Sheffield

London is a magnificent melting pot and an exemplary showcase art, culture and beautiful urban spaces - both contemporary and historical. England’s largest city is home to some of the world’s most magnetic Gothic architecture, and a prolific arts and theatre culture.
A few must visit places in London city are the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. Head to the Buckingham Palace and catch the changing of the Guard at 11:30am from May until the end of July. Tourists can view the Crown Jewels, and also take a mandatory picture with a guard. Most of London’s museums have free entry, so take it all in from Tate Modern to the City Museum to the National Gallery and the Historical Museum. Make a stop at the Westminster Abbey and revel in the bustling Trafalgar Square that is the heart of London. For something more intimate, take a walk down to the Borough Market that has probably the best food and produce in London. Grab yourself a Cornish pasty or a plateful of the signature fish and chips before you leave London city.
Read More

London is a magnificent melting pot and an exemplary showcase art, culture and beautiful urban spaces - both contemporary and historical. England’s largest city is home to some of the world’s most magnetic Gothic architecture, and a prolific arts and theatre culture.
A few must visit places in London city are the Tower of London and the Tower Bridge. Head to the Buckingham Palace and catch the changing of the Guard at 11:30am from May until the end of July. Tourists can view the Crown Jewels, and also take a mandatory picture with a guard. Most of London’s museums have free entry, so take it all in from Tate Modern to the City Museum to the National Gallery and the Historical Museum. Make a stop at the Westminster Abbey and revel in the bustling Trafalgar Square that is the heart of London. For something more intimate, take a walk down to the Borough Market that has probably the best food and produce in London. Grab yourself a Cornish pasty or a plateful of the signature fish and chips before you leave London city.

London is the capital of England and one of the top ten tourist destinations of the world. From history and culture to fine food and good times, this city has something for everyone! And guess what, you can now visit it on a transit visa if you have a long layover! You will require a Visitor-in-Transit visa and you can know all about it here.

2. England- The London Tube: There are a lot of things you can love about England, but nothing is more enchanting than having time to spare and watching the London tube at rush hour. From the unwritten rules of staying to the left on escalators to the packed like sardines carriages, the tube can give you new found respect for space. The tube stands for everything ‘London’. Add the fact that they scaled new heights in design whilst creating the new tube map.

The utter failure of his medical practice gave Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, plenty of time to write about a consulting detective who solves crimes by applying deduction and logic. It is believed that Sir Arthur was inspired by Dr Joseph Bell, one of his tutors from medical school in Edinburgh, while creating the character. Dr Bell’s great grandfather— Benjamin Bell was credited with the invention of the science of deduction. In the early drafts of A Study of Scarlet, which was initially called A Tangled Skein, Sir Arthur described ‘Sherringford Holmes’ as someone who works in a chemical laboratory and collects rare violins.However, he didn’t want Holmes to be the narrator of the story, so he created Ormond Sacker, who had seen military service in Sudan. In the story that finally got published in Beeton’s Christmas Annual in August 1887, Sir Arthur changed Sacker to Dr John Watson, an invalid military doctor who was shot in the shoulder in Afghanistan. Since then, the duo has gone to enjoy stellar careers in books, on stage, in film, and on television.

LEAVESDENDrink a glass of Butter Beer Actually, everything at the Warner Brother’s Studio for Harry Potter in Leavesden, can bring out the glee-ful child in you. From real Butter Beer, to walking through Diagon Alley, to exploring Snape’s table of potions. It’s truly magical ! wbstudiotour.co.uk

The best way to get around England would be to book your stay in its magnificent capital city, London. Of course, your stay here might be slightly more expensive than in other places, which aren’t so main stream. But you will certainly appreciate the ease with which you will find frequent transportation to all other parts of the country.

Download a London underground map from the internet and carry a print out with you for your comfort. We reach the station and at the station ask for the Oyster card, it's basically a prepaid card which is used for travelling in London underground trains. Just fill the card with a certain amount of money and flash it at the entry/exit in all stations. The money will get deducted from your card depending on the distance travelled by you.You can also use this card to travel in buses in and within London. We filled the card for 20 pounds each. This saves you the time and also money of buying tickets, every time you travel in train or bus. Do not take the taxis, unless you have lot of money to spend, as taxi travel is quiet expensive especially when you are holidaying on a shoe string budget.

London: Highly commercial but very safe and comfortable for solo travelers, London has attractions of all kinds – Wimbledon, Lords, Wembley stadium for sports aficionados, British Library and Shakespeare Globe Centre for literature fanatics, London Eye, Buckingham Place, Big Ben, London Bridge and many other buildings for heritage admirers, Southall for authentic Indian food lovers, Harrods and Oxford Street for fashionistas, Design Museum and art galleries for art devotees among others. You name it and London has it. Also known as the birthplace of the Metro or London Tube as they call it, Public transport here is impeccable. Climate is slightly grey and cold but the warmth of people will melt your heart. Huge Indian diaspora presence makes you feel at home. Global cuisine restaurants and cafes are everywhere. Only thing that makes it slightly unattractive is the cost on your wallet.

4 full days wandering about London and man, it’s not enough, not enough. Most of the time we were scampering from one point to the next. Even then, we had not seen it all, had not seen enough, watched enough nor tasted enough.

I was going for a packaged tour to Europe, covering 9 cities in a short span of 15 days. But luckily, my family decided to leave for UK 3 days earlier than the trip started and we stayed at a friend of my dad's. And that's what I'm going to talk about in my little article here. London, not through a bus the tour took me in, but through my own eyes, the way I liked it and the way I believe it should be traveled.The journey began when we reached UK around noon. We reached home, had lunch and spent some time resting to give the jet lag a break. Evening crept and we left with my uncle. We walked towards harrow street. It was a beautiful way surrounded by greenery and the prettiest houses ever. Not even half an hour around that area and I was already telling my mom that I wanted to settle back here someday when I grow old. That's the magic of that place. British houses can make you fall in love instantly. You can walk for hours and not get tired, that's how beautiful and soothing the weather is. It doesn't get dark till 8pm or 9pm there. It even goes onto 10pm at times.

Then, we booked accommodation in Liverpool (£30).
Moose cafe for breakfast. The best breakfast I had! IT IS SO GOOD. I want to book a ticket to Liverpool just for this! That salted caramel pancakes with poached apples.. £7 if I'm not wrong! Huge portion!Read More

Then, we booked accommodation in Liverpool (£30).
Moose cafe for breakfast. The best breakfast I had! IT IS SO GOOD. I want to book a ticket to Liverpool just for this! That salted caramel pancakes with poached apples.. £7 if I'm not wrong! Huge portion!

Liverpool is completely characterized by its most famous band: The Beatles and an definite bucket list point for every fan. But next to the Beatles Museum and all that stuff, I loved walking along the Albert Dock. They offer funny sightseeing tours with the yellow duckmarine. On land it’s a bus with wheels but on the other hand it’s a boat. The yellow duckmarine looks like a duck’s bill, I actually didn’t do the yellow Duck marine but in the case I will ever come back to Liverpool I will book a tour.
We also visited an old church. It was destroyed in the Second World War and is only a ruin now without a roof. You need to wear helmet of construction workers, I don’t know if it’s seriously necessary, I don’t actually think so but it was fun. Inside the ruins there was kind of an alternative art gallery: Photographs and some statues, really nice hidden spot.

The only August travel was a long weekend of partying in Bristol (one of my favourite UK cities) with friends.This blog was finally launched after 5 months of hard work and teaching myself how to use word press from scratch. Sh*t Just Got Real was my first post, which reflected that suddenly our upcoming adventure was becoming a realityAndy handed in his notice at work and we finished selling, giving away and storing our belongings, and put our Norwich house up for rent. We also spent hours working through our exit plan to ensure we had all loose ends tied up in The UK, a rough idea of our route to Cambodia and that we had the relevant visas sorted out.Selling belongings for long term travelI also spent much of the month caring for my Mum after she’d badly broken her arm falling off her bicycle. All in all it was quite a very busy and quite stressful month. At the end of August it was time to start saying farewell to our friends and family over a string of goodbye catch-ups and one final big leaving party. All great fun but also tinged with sadness!SeptemberAt long last we left the UK to travel, and to live and work abroad in early September.It started with a weeks villa holiday near Santanyi in Mallorca with my family, including my two little nephews. It was a gorgeous villa with a pool in a picturesque setting a bit bit out in the sticks. We had some time relaxing at the villa and a couple of day trips out to nearby beaches and towns. It was lovely to have that week with my family before we left Europe for the foreseeable futureRead More

The only August travel was a long weekend of partying in Bristol (one of my favourite UK cities) with friends.This blog was finally launched after 5 months of hard work and teaching myself how to use word press from scratch. Sh*t Just Got Real was my first post, which reflected that suddenly our upcoming adventure was becoming a realityAndy handed in his notice at work and we finished selling, giving away and storing our belongings, and put our Norwich house up for rent. We also spent hours working through our exit plan to ensure we had all loose ends tied up in The UK, a rough idea of our route to Cambodia and that we had the relevant visas sorted out.Selling belongings for long term travelI also spent much of the month caring for my Mum after she’d badly broken her arm falling off her bicycle. All in all it was quite a very busy and quite stressful month. At the end of August it was time to start saying farewell to our friends and family over a string of goodbye catch-ups and one final big leaving party. All great fun but also tinged with sadness!SeptemberAt long last we left the UK to travel, and to live and work abroad in early September.It started with a weeks villa holiday near Santanyi in Mallorca with my family, including my two little nephews. It was a gorgeous villa with a pool in a picturesque setting a bit bit out in the sticks. We had some time relaxing at the villa and a couple of day trips out to nearby beaches and towns. It was lovely to have that week with my family before we left Europe for the foreseeable future

On the train, it's not far to Oxford, or perhaps you'd like to pop over to Bristol or Bath for a day or two. There's also a lot to do in Birmingham, especially if you like shopping and good nightlife. It's also a two hour drive to Stonehenge, if you fancy a bit of a day out - although that's not really so cheap.So, to summarise - the cheapest you can probably do this is a Megabus to Birmingham (£2) then a bus into Stratford (£5.20). Find a cheap room on Airbnb (£35), try getting theatre tickets on the day, and try asking around to see if anybody has Birthplace tickets that you can borrow! Realistically, if you want to eat out, see a show and visit the houses, you're looking at something like:Breakfast: £3 (Yard of Ale)Lunch: £3 (Fresh and Funky)Dinner: £5 (Noodle Box)Theatre: £14 (restricted view)Birthplace Trust: £25Accommodation: £35 (assuming you just stay for one night)Getting in (from London): £7.20Total = £92.20.Not super-budget, but still a lot less than the average tourist will pay here.Of course, if you're really nice and can perhaps offer me accommodation/food somewhere else cool in the world, you promise to cook for me or teach me something interesting etc., I might be able to put you up here for free.... it's gwynethajones86@gmail.com... :)

Since we had a comfortable overnight journey, today we were all fresh and ready to have an exciting day ahead. Today, we are supposed to go to Oxford city in south east of London. It is a 2 hour train journey from London and we reach Oxford by 10 am. There was a city bus tour here again, but since we had the entire day to spend in Oxford our preferred choice of exploring the place was by walking around. We took a map of the city from the train station and we labeled the route we had to take, it was a circular walk around the city.The buildings in Oxford demonstrate an example of every English architectural period and its known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined in reference to the harmonious architecture of Oxford's university buildings. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world. Our walk leads us through the heart of the historic city centre illustrating in itself the history of Oxford and its university and the map in our hand gave us the description of the architecture and traditions of its most famous buildings and institutions. Even though I was not a good student myself or much of a book reader, I felt it was a prolific day spent in Oxford, a city also prominent for its medieval university. Our day ended with some good coffee and we reached back home in London at around 8 in the evening.Read More

Since we had a comfortable overnight journey, today we were all fresh and ready to have an exciting day ahead. Today, we are supposed to go to Oxford city in south east of London. It is a 2 hour train journey from London and we reach Oxford by 10 am. There was a city bus tour here again, but since we had the entire day to spend in Oxford our preferred choice of exploring the place was by walking around. We took a map of the city from the train station and we labeled the route we had to take, it was a circular walk around the city.The buildings in Oxford demonstrate an example of every English architectural period and its known as the "city of dreaming spires", a term coined in reference to the harmonious architecture of Oxford's university buildings. The University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world. Our walk leads us through the heart of the historic city centre illustrating in itself the history of Oxford and its university and the map in our hand gave us the description of the architecture and traditions of its most famous buildings and institutions. Even though I was not a good student myself or much of a book reader, I felt it was a prolific day spent in Oxford, a city also prominent for its medieval university. Our day ended with some good coffee and we reached back home in London at around 8 in the evening.

It takes between two to three hours to get to Oxford from London. Of course, much depends on your choice of transport. If you are on a shoe-string budget, pick the bus as your preferred mode. There are bus services that take you to Oxford for only a pound if you book early enough, but the service, understandably, is not that great. There are other bus services, of course, and the buses are extremely regular. If you are a student, be sure to produce your ID because it will get you a hefty discount. A more accommodating budget might allow you to take the train, which will get you there faster and have more comfortable seats, but I'll recommend the bus. It allows you to take in the journey and the world outside the window. Where you stay also depends on your budget, and you will have plenty of options. And if you can find a friend of a friend of a friend who lives there, try and convince them to put you up for a couple of days. Otherwise, there is always a good old B&B.

Oxford – the city famous for its university and known as the „city of dreaming spires“ (due to its architecture). The university is amazing. I went to the famous Bodleian Library which was a unique experience. It’s one of the oldest libraries in Europe and also a setting of the Harry Potter Movies. But well…that’s probably almost every nice spot in the UK Oxford is also very green, right next to the uni there are parks where you can hang out with your friends or learn. Additionally, Oxford is like Amsterdam. You see bikes all over the city, it’s incredible – more bikes than cars. So due to this cozy atmosphere – it’s my number 1 city in the UK.

With my brother’s help we formulated a list of places in and around England which were unique and were rich in nature’s bounty. Staring from the smallest village of England to a Birdland with the most unique species of birds, to the City of Bath which has been declared a World Heritage site, we had our itinerary all set up. Our base was in Bath and we used to hire a cab every alternate day and go and explore a particular district.Read More

With my brother’s help we formulated a list of places in and around England which were unique and were rich in nature’s bounty. Staring from the smallest village of England to a Birdland with the most unique species of birds, to the City of Bath which has been declared a World Heritage site, we had our itinerary all set up. Our base was in Bath and we used to hire a cab every alternate day and go and explore a particular district.

Next, we headed to Bath for lunch and were dropped off at the Bath Abbey for exploring the town.After this we were driven back to Central London, by the time we reached it was 8:00 pm.Tip: Try the pasty at "Pasty Presto" near Bath Abbey.

The last thing on our English trip was the city of Bath, holding the Roman Baths. Encasing aqua green waters in a rectangular pool, the Sacred Springs is one the four features of the Roman Baths, which were built underneath street level. Massive pillars etched with Roman figures, loom over the structure. The light drizzle created a mystifying aura, as we traversed into a dimly lit area known as the Grand Pump Room. Silver coins glistened through the rippling waters of the pool, which is now a wishing well for visitors. Slightly muffling the excited buzz around me, I closed my eyes, turned towards the well, and watched my coin camouflage in with the others into the clear waters.These are some of the attractions one must check out in England! During the time we went (mid-August), it was fairly cold, and almost always drizzling, so it’s best to pack and plan accordingly. When going in a group, transport and accommodations should be well arranged. Besides our tour bus, we traveled in taxis for nearby locations. I felt a bit drab at times in my sweats and jeans, while most others managed to dress their best almost always. Advisable to pack a few of your better outfits then! Just strap up, and do it the English way then!NOTE: A few images are taken by my friend, Claire Mosteller. It has been abbreviated as 'PC: CM.'

This city has been declared as a World Heritage site and it is historically very important. This is the place where we spent the maximum time so we explored it in and out. Bath is a place which is full of places which are of great historical importance such as the Jane Austen Centre, Thermae Spa- where you can lounge in the 2000 year old Roman Baths, the magnificent Royal Crescent, The Circus, Pulteney Bridge and Bath Abbey.

Bath is the first city in England to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Moving around, you realise why it is designated so. The tour organiser gave us an option to go inside to see the baths or just roam around for the same time out. The place looked so charming with the little shops..music & cobbled streets...outdoors were calling!! We did manage to get a peek at the roman baths from outside. The city is home to many art galleries, antique shops, theatres & Jane Austen centre.We grabbed a coffee & some muffins and went to a fudge shop to see how fudge is made. Walked around, window shopped at some cute shops, went to the indoor market & then relaxed listening to some street music. An hour just flew by. Bath is a place , we'd like to visit again.. maybe stay for a couple of nights & just soak in the place..

The town of Bath also lies a bit outside of London. We went here to check out the Roman Baths, the coolest part of this trip, in my opinion. Preserved for public baths through four main features, this historic site transports you to the Roman times. Water gushing in from various pools, and bubbling up to the surface of the sacred spring makes it so real...